Ice-T not only invented gangster rap, he has lived it. Ice-T is the original embodiment of LA Hip-Hop and a cultural icon. Through his music, his book, The Ice Opinion (St. Martin’s Press), and his lecture tours of America¹s prisons, high schools, libraries and colleges (including Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford), Ice-T has become an influential spokesman for America¹s youth, regardless of color.

Born Tracy Morrow in Newark, New Jersey in 1959, rapper / musician / actor / activist Ice-T was raised in the gang-infested, pimp-heavy streets of South Central, Los Angeles. He became immersed in both cultures, and began rapping about his daily activities while still a teenager in high school. In fact, his current nickname was borrowed from the infamous pimp-turned-writer, Iceberg Slim. Friends urged him to take his talents into a recording studio, where he recorded several rap singles. Ice-T learned the art of survival pretty fast. An only child whose parents died when he was very young, Ice-T became involved in Los Angeles gangs before spending four years in the army.

His first break came when the producers of the film Breakin¹ asked him to rap in the movie. In 1987 Ice-T signed with Sire Records and dropped his major-label debut, Rhyme Pays, which quickly went gold. His 1988 follow-up, Power, went gold amidst critical acclaim. He went on to become rap music’s original gangster, writing songs like “Six in the Mornin’” and “New Jack Hustler,” a song nominated for a Grammy in 1990.

Ice-T formed Rhyme Syndicate Records in 1989 and released a string of groundbreaking West Coast rap records. He subsequently formed the thrash metal band Body Count with close high school friend and guitarist Ernie C. Its self-titled debut album became mired in controversy due to its final track, "Cop Killer," written from the perspective of an angry African-American man who shoots Los Angeles police officers in retaliation for their beating of Rodney King. Conservatives and police groups protested Sire's parent company, Time-Warner, prompting the label to censor new pressings of the album. Body Count was the most critically acclaimed act on the highly successful 1991 Lollapalooza tour, and continued to tour worldwide.

As his politics were grabbing headlines, Ice-T’s film and television career was taking off.  The controversial personality secured roles in New Jack City, Ricochet, Trespass and Johnny Mnemonic, all while building a flourishing television career. He has numerous independent and documentary film roles to his credit as well.

Ice-T currently stars in NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Detective Odafin Tutuloa for his seventh season. This is his fourth project with executive producer Dick Wolf after the 1997-98 series Players, NBC’s Exiled: A Law & Order Movie, and several memorable guest-starring appearances on Wolf’s gritty cop series New York Undercover.

In another current television project, Beyond Tough, Ice-T serves as both co-executive producer and host of the series that looks at the men and women behind America’s wildest jobs. From hazmat technicians, to oil-rig firefighters to rodeo clowns, Ice-T takes the viewer into the trenches with America’s everyday heroes.

Ice-T’s Pimpin’ 101 stars the multimedia personality as the host of a documentary-style look at the science of pimping. Raw, direct and x-rated, Ice-T boldly schools the viewer through five vignettes illustrating the five different areas of the pimp game.

On the other side of the coin, Ice-T has also recently done VH1’s Rap School, where he teaches prep school kids how to be rappers. Rap School is currently airing on VH1. Musically, the Grammy award winner Ice T has recently released a new rap album called Gangsta Rap.

As an artist, his reach has crossed from music into film and television, and interactive media. He is the voice of Madd Dogg on one of the hottest selling games, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Ice also plays a character in the new video game Scarface. As an author, his book, The Ice Opinion, was published in 1994 and has been translated into Japanese, German, French, and Italian.

Ice-T is a compelling and gifted personality. He is riveting, knowledgeable, streetwise and outspoken. No stranger to controversial subject matter, Ice is available as a lecturer or panelist through LiveTourArtists.